Deputy Director of Community Benefits - External Affairs - SFPUC (0923) - (155680)

Career Opportunity

Deputy Director of Community Benefits - External Affairs - SFPUC (0923) - (155680)

Recruitment: RTF0155679-01118476

Published: May 23, 2025

Contact:

Jessica Wong - JesWong@sfwater.org

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

Department: Public Utilities Commission
Job class: 0923-Manager II
Starting salary range: $141,700.00 - $180,856.00 (Range A)
Role type: Permanent Civil Service What does this mean?
Hours: Full-time
Exam type: Position Based Test
Rule: Rule of the List
List type: Combined Promotive and Entrance

About:

Application Opening: Friday, May 23, 2025
Application Deadline: Friday, June 6, 2025 at 11:59 PM, PST
Compensation Range: Annual $141,700 and $180,856
Recruitment ID: PBT-0923-155680 / RTF0155679-01118476

Appointment Type: This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A.

WHO ARE WE?
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)
Headquartered in San Francisco, we have 2,300 employees operating across eight counties serving more than 2.7 million customers in the San Francisco Bay Area – 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Our Mission: To provide our customers with high quality, efficient, and reliable water, power, and wastewater services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.

Our Vision: We are an innovative utility leader, recognized for excellent results in service, safety, stewardship, and inclusiveness.

We are an award-winning and industry-leading utilities organization committed to our customers, community interests, and the environment. To learn more about our organization, please visit our website at https://www.sfpuc.gov/.

We are proud of our infrastructure and programs, but most importantly, we value our highly qualified and dedicated workforce which ensures that this vision becomes a reality.

To learn more about working at the SFPUC, visit our career site at https://www.sfpuc.gov/about-us/careers-sfpuc

About the Community Benefits Division of the External Affairs Bureau

The External Affairs Bureau at the SFPUC oversees the Agency's local, state and federal legislative and policy activities, communications and community engagement community benefits and environmental justice programs. The Community Benefits Division develops the strategic frameworks for Agency-wide community benefits and environmental justice programs and activities, partners with community-based stakeholders and other City & County of San Francisco agencies, manages pilot programs, and evaluates community outcomes related to investments and partnerships.

In January 2011, the SFPUC adopted a Community Benefits Policy to advance the agency’s responsibility to be a good neighbor to all those impacted by its activities and promote sustainability by adoption of a triple bottom line, which balances the SFPUC’s economic, environmental and social equity goals.

Role description

Under the direction of the SFPUC Community Benefits (CB) Director, the Deputy Director will:

Perform a broad range of managerial, professional, and analytical work.

Provide overall support to the CB Director as needed, including in: (i) the management of program staff with varying roles across the CB Division; (ii) hands-on technical support for CB staff working to implement key programs and initiatives in service to local communities impacted by SFPUC projects and operations; (iii) ensuring the seamless execution of CB projects, contracts and events; (iv) building and maintaining collaborative relationships within and external to CB in service of project, contract and event execution; (v) overseeing the scoping and implementation of the community benefits components of all SFPUC capital projects; (vi) internal collaboration with executive members and managerial staff of SFPUC Water, Wastewater, and Power Enterprises; and (vii) advancing the SFPUC’s core objectives, goals, and plans to achieve positive community impacts as a result of the operation of SFPUC’s Enterprises.

Provide strategic support and direction to program staff on a variety of technical functions, including, but not limited to: developing and negotiating contract language, MOUs, and other documents navigating policies, directives, and processes that apply to CB’s work; mapping out project plans with key staff for seamless execution that include engagement of key stakeholders; building or improving programs to advance equitable outcomes for the communities served by the SFPUC; and evaluating the impact of CB’s work.

Mitigate challenges, propose solutions, and proactively and effectively escalate critical issues to CB and EA leadership to support timely and effective resolutions.

The Ideal Candidate

The Leadership Competency Model illustrates what it means to be successful for any leader at the SFPUC, supporting our commitment to organizational excellence. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record and ability to exercise the following competencies which are the most critical to the Deputy Director of CB role:

Accountability: Acts with integrity, honesty, and fairness; inspires trust. Clearly defines roles and responsibilities for self and others. Holds self and others to their roles and responsibilities. Complies with legal and ethical guidelines. Acts as a responsible steward of the resources entrusted to the SFPUC.
Decision Making and Problem Solving: Takes ownership of problems and makes timely, responsible, transparent, and clear decisions. Involves others in addressing problems and seeking solutions. Gathers relevant information and conducts appropriate analyses. Understands the impact of decisions.
Risk Management: Understands personal responsibility for managing risks and takes precaution in avoiding preventable risks. Identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks seen as impacting the organization's achievement of strategic goals and objectives. Ensures self and others are following procedures that prevent avoidable operational, financial, legal, or health and safety risks.

Adaptability: Adjusts, perseveres, and succeeds in meeting objectives despite rapidly shifting environment, demands, and resources. Reacts appropriately to changing conditions or priorities. Alters approaches to most effectively address different situations and people. Responds positively to tasks and situations outside of comfort zone.
Change Management: Ensures that planned changes are thoroughly, smoothly, and effectively communicated and implemented such that the lasting benefits of change are achieved. Leverages a structured approach and people-oriented strategies to drive the adoption and usage of new solutions to fully realize organizational benefits and project objectives.
Business Acumen: Understands and leverages business concepts, terms, and tools to achieve desired outcomes. Makes informed decisions and develops sound budgets and plans surrounding the financial and operational functions of the organization. Demonstrates expertise in the utility industry landscape. Develops compelling business cases to support organizational plans and objectives.
Strategic Planning: Formulates objectives and priorities, implements plans, and allocates resources to achieve the long-term goals of the organization.

Essential duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Provide hands-on support to key CB teams, which may include not only delegation and management but individual contribution to ensure success: Environmental Justice policy implementation; Kinder-to-Career strategies; the overseeing of public art enrichment funds; the development of educational programs to support eco-literacy and environmental stewardship specific to water, power and sewer; the Social Impact Partnership program and contracting strategies; the Southeast Community Center and all related programs; and the advancement and promotion of use of public land in a way that maximizes health and environmental sustainability and innovative ideas.
Manage up to four FTEs as direct reports, implementing criteria to measure success and accountability while providing growth opportunities.
Mitigate challenges, propose solutions, and proactively and effectively escalate critical issues to leadership to support timely and effective resolutions.
Build strong and collaborative working relationships both within and external to CB and External Affairs in service of advancing CB’s goals.
Develop and negotiate contract language, MOUs, and other documents related to the SFPUC’s community benefits policy in collaboration with internal stakeholders such as applicable program staff, SFPUC’s Contract Administration Bureau (CAB), the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, and other administrative divisions.
Maintain working knowledge of the primary functions and duties of CB program staff within a multifaceted and complex program.
Provide strategic support and direction, as needed, to program staff on the scoping and implementation of the Community Benefits programs, polices and initiatives.
Assist staff leads in building and maintaining trust and advancing strategic partnerships with staff of public agencies, community organizations, individual community leaders, contractors, and business leaders.
Maintain visibility on all projects and initiatives under the Community Benefits Division, including the Social Impact Partnership Program, and the Southeast Community Center.
Drive stakeholder and community involvement in the design, implementation and evaluation of SFPUC programs and policies.
Liaise between program staff and the CB Director to ensure departmental and division-level policies and directives are properly followed, and to implement new policies and directives as needed.
Perform other duties as required.

How to qualify

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college. AND

Experience: Three (3) years of professional experience in developing and/or implementing policy, advocacy, social responsibility and/or community/economic development, in areas such as coalition building and strategic partnerships to advance agency initiatives, policies, and goals, and working with community partners.

Substitution: Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis up to a maximum of two (2) years. One (1) year is equivalent to thirty (30) semester units/forty-five (45) quarter units.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Note: One year of full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Desirable Qualifications

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring:

Possession of master’s or other type of advanced degree in Public Policy, Urban Planning, Organizational Development/ Leadership, Sustainability, Business, and/or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.
Two (2) years of public sector experience.
At least two (2) years of experience managing or overseeing the work of at least two individuals and/or high-profile projects and initiatives requiring strategic partnerships.

Verification:

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. Education verification information on verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Experience claimed in self-employment will only be accepted if supported by documents verifying income, earnings, business license and experience comparable to minimum qualifications above. Copies of income tax papers or other documents listing occupation and total earnings must be submitted.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Selection Procedures

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ) (Weight: 100%): Candidates who meet minimum qualifications will be invited via a separate online link to complete the Supplemental Questionnaire Examination. The purpose of the SQ Examination is to evaluate the experience, knowledge, skills and abilities that candidates possess in job-related areas, which have been identified as critical for this position and include, but are not limited to:

Knowledge of management and administrative techniques applicable to operations in the area assigned; State and Federal regulations appropriate to unit.
Ability to manage, administer and/or coordinate a complex operational section.
Ability to plan, coordinate and provide clear direction to subordinates and consultants/contractors.
Ability to effectively identify and mitigate risk and enable timely and effective resolutions.
Ability to problem solve and assist program staff with setting project goals, managing expectations, keeping to timelines, and adjusting priorities – e.g., collaborate with staff to develop, document, and implement criteria to use when approaching challenges, and sharing lessons with the broader team to minimize redundancy.

Passing Score: Candidates must obtain a passing score on the Supplemental Questionnaire in order to be placed on the score report for positions in this job class.

Notices to Candidates: Qualified candidates will be sent notices via email for completion prior to the creation of the score report ("eligible list"). Each notice will include the date by which responses must be received. Failure to complete these steps by the established deadlines will result in disqualification.

Certification: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of the List. Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

Eligible List/Score Report: A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

This pool of candidates on the eligible list may be used to fill additional vacancies in this class.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of six (6) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see Position-Counts-by-Job-Codes-and-Department-FY-2023-24.pdf.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights: Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at here.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement. Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at Civil Service Commission | SF.gov.

What else should I know?

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

HOW TO APPLY

Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ and begin the application process.

Select the “Apply Now” button and follow instructions on the screen

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and updated. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@careers.sf.gov that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records.

Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst Jessica Wong at jeswong@sfwater.org. Recruitment ID: RTF0155679-01118476.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.